Encore: Phone Scam Costs Elderly Johnston Woman More Than $1,000

An 88-year-old woman was the victim of a telephone scam in Johnston.

On May 18, the woman reported that an individual called and told her that her grandson needed money wired to him.

The woman complied and lost $1,952.

In February, the Johnston Police Department .

At the time of the February alert three cases were reported in which residents received a phone call from someone impersonating an immediate family member or calling on behalf of a close family member.

In the reported incidents, the callers have been primarily targeting senior citizens and impersonating grandchildren or other relatives.

Since the alert, about five other scams have been reported to the Johnston Police Department.

The cases included a scam involving a resident being notified he had won a Publisher's Clearinghouse Prize. The victim was asked to send in money orders in order to receive his $800,000 prize.

Other instances included fraudlent listings on Craigslist or impersonating a relative in need of a money transfer.

Lt. Lynn Aswegan with the Johnston Police Department said that it's hard to determine if all the reported scams are related.

"It isn't simple because a lot of them end up tracking back overseas," he said. "It can be rather involved in the sense that there are a lot of different scams out there."

The department sees a consistent amount of scam reports, Aswegan said.

"They certainly haven't decreased, our biggest factor is to instill the information to residents to know before they are approached," he said.

Scam Prevention
Sgt. Det. Tyler Tompkins speaks with several groups throughout the year, including Johnston's Senior Activity Center, about being vigilant and aware of possible scams.

Tompkins said he has encountered several victims of scams who have not reported their cases out of embarassment.

At presentations he also often hears of new scams circulating.

The Johnston Police Department urges those who receive calls from someone claiming to be a relative and asking for money to verify with a trusted third party.

"Sometimes it's momentum, they get caught off guard and their knee jerk reaction is to do something," Aswegan said of victims. "Regardless of the situation they need to stop and think it through."

Aswegan said the Attorney General is another avenue for victims to pursue if they don't choose to report the scam to the police or if they are seeking more information.

Residents with questions or additional information regarding the activity should contact Lt. Lynn Aswegan at 278-2345.

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